Oldtimer: "Sometimes that second cup of coffee is just the right amount of time to let nature run its course on its own........"

Like one old cowboy said, "There are just times when you are working cattle or driving them, or trying to get them to cross a bridge, when it is just best to stop your horse, throw your leg up over the saddlehorn and roll a cigarette. Let nature takes its course."

Yes I did start with a few calves in September. then a dry spell till Jan. Most of the calves are Jan and feb calves. I think I got two more due to the herd bull any day now. I have ai'ed all the earley calvers except 3 hefers whitch I will pull CIDR's this afternoon and bred on Sunday. That will finish my breding and the bull can go in the last pasture. I have bulls in two pastures now and the 3rd is waiting to go in two weeks from Sunday.
Some of the late calvers will be sold in the fall to people with spring calving programs.
PS: with all this rain we might better start building an ark?

Yesterday I had a big char cow calve. Dad went out to check the cows when I was at work. There was one hind leg sticking out about 16 inches. He called me and it took 45 min to get home.When I got there the calf was up and sucking. He said she just pushed it out doing the splits I think it was more luck than good management. Walk

walk wrote:Yesterday I had a big char cow calve. Dad went out to check the cows when I was at work. There was one hind leg sticking out about 16 inches. He called me and it took 45 min to get home.When I got there the calf was up and sucking. He said she just pushed it out doing the splits I think it was more luck than good management. Walk

With that kind of flexibility, you may want to consider entering that baby in a ballet class!

aaron-yes, it was you that had posted those great pics of yours cows previously that i was remembering(?!) it's he!! to get old! with the gut on your 4-H calf, it's no wonder he only had a 57% yield! my personal opinion on herefords--borne out by years of data, BTW--is that they are generally "non-yielding, non-grading, over-fat SOB's". and they do all that plus more!!

none-the-less, i do believe that the breed is making progress on the kill end, it's just SLOW, and a Big part of it is marketing at least in this country where black is better (and that is NOT a racist remark, ok?!!?).

as long as you guys keep breeding for improvement, it'll work. just try to get everyone to have even CLOSE to the same goals

If I was Aaron, I'd be a little insulted by your comments. The herefords have come a long way from the short-legged, dumpy version of the 50's, 60's, and 70's. Get out, look around at the herds in the country. You'd be amazed at what you see.

well i certainly didn't intend to insult aaron or anyone else. if i did, i apologize. i was simply stating what i have seen at the packing plant as to how herefords have done on the kill. i can't help the facts. sorry i blew up...

No big deal. I get a little defensive myself when it comes to herefords. We have a bull here that throws meat on his calves in all the right places and our calves sell well. I wish I could post a picture of him on here, but I haven't got a digital camera. Check out Star Lake Cattle Ranch in Oklahoma, or Deshazer Cattle Co. in Texas. In Canada, check out Remitall Polled Herefords.

chuckie wrote:aaron-yes, it was you that had posted those great pics of yours cows previously that i was remembering(?!) it's he!! to get old! with the gut on your 4-H calf, it's no wonder he only had a 57% yield! my personal opinion on herefords--borne out by years of data, BTW--is that they are generally "non-yielding, non-grading, over-fat SOB's". and they do all that plus more!!

none-the-less, i do believe that the breed is making progress on the kill end, it's just SLOW, and a Big part of it is marketing at least in this country where black is better (and that is NOT a racist remark, ok?!!?).

as long as you guys keep breeding for improvement, it'll work. just try to get everyone to have even CLOSE to the same goals

Chuckie...yes, no, yes. Non-yielding, yep. The highest I have ever seen a Hereford yield is 62% (While Simmentals close to 70%), with the average being around 56-58%. Hence why those Char x Herefords rock the sales ring and the kill line. Non-grading, no...well, unless your comparing it against the Angus, in which case, ok, then I can agree with you. As far as Herefords stand for grading, I rate them as 2nd in line but quickly gaining ground against Angus. Fat SOB's, you bet! That's why I don't breed Holsteins Seriously, I like fat all over my steaks...inside and outside. I know a few people that love to eat the exterior fat on their steaks while they eat. Can't say it's the healthiest thing to do, but definitely good eating. Plus, I rather have fat cows that can winter a freezing snowstorm with no problems than cows that are skinny as rails.

Not insulted at all. I can agree with most of your comments. The people you have to tell are the ones that parade their animals in front of everyone at the big shows. What I raise only affects my buyers, which are in about a 50 mile radius. Ones like Star Lake and Remitall supply the entire continent and it is those breeders that need to change their attitudes. Get away from the grain-fed showgirls and boys, stop the creepfeeding. I like to seach the Canadian Hereford Association database on some of the calves that are born on various operations. A breeder might brag about his show calves being 700-900 lb weaning weights, but keeps his mouth shut on the 300 lb registered heifer calves that he didn't show. I know alot of breeders think that if they can feed that 300lb calf heavy enough, she'll make a bred heifer, but that has to stop because that mistake carries down the line....and I don't blame the commercial guy when he buys a $1100 heifer, gets a puny 300 lb calf in the fall and then turns 'anti-Hereford.'